Manila: Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla urged all local chief executives to enact ordinances penalizing prank callers to the national emergency hotline, as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) prepares to roll out the upgraded Emergency 911 system in August.

According to Philippines News Agency, reports from the E911 National Office indicated that in 2024, nearly 12 million calls were handled by the system, with about 60 percent identified as fraudulent, hoax, or prank calls. Remulla emphasized the necessity for local government units (LGUs) to implement ordinances that impose monetary fines and potential jail time for prank callers, highlighting the need for real consequences.

Remulla noted that detailed guidelines would be provided once the integrated system is fully launched. He also warned that the new system would include tracking capabilities to quickly identify prank callers, leveraging geofence and geodata technology to catch offenders within minutes.

Currently, individuals found guilty of spreading false information maliciously may face imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to PHP40,000, or both, under Presidential Decree 1727. The enhanced system will further include language-sensitive capabilities and push-to-talk over cellular (PoC/PTToC) features, enabling real-time coordination with more than 1,000 police officers nationwide.

Remulla stated that the upgraded system aligns with the administration's broader initiative for faster police response, in compliance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive for improved police visibility and public safety. He expressed confidence that the Philippine National Police (PNP) would achieve better response times and quality of response with the new system.

He added that all local government emergency systems would be integrated into a single, unified 911 network, consolidating the currently fragmented setup where 34 LGUs and Camp Crame operate separate systems.